Co-developing and testing a peer supporter-delivered screening tool to identify violence and related risks among young women living with HIV in Lusaka, Zambia
Young women living with HIV (YWHIV) are likelier to experience overlapping risks to their wellbeing, including violence and poor mental health. Better screening approaches are needed. Understanding how to ask YWHIV about their lives and potential risks is critical to tailoring health services to meet their needs. Youth peer supporters may be an important entry point. While task-shifting approaches to peer supporters may help to effectively reach YWHIV in non-stigmatizing ways and integrate screening into HIV care, there is limited evidence on how youth peer supporters can implement screening. We tested an approach to improving screening in Lusaka, Zambia. Through the Screen & Support project—a collaboration among University of Cape Town, Paediatric-Adolescent Treatment Africa (PATA), and community-based Kabangwe Creative Initiative Association (KCIA)—we aimed to co-develop and test a screening tool to be administered to YWHIV by peer supporters.